In her certification paper, one of our students described our Mexican Lime essential oil as “the light bringer”. She went on to say that Lime, for her, had been a “light through the clouds”, and had lifted the cloud of depression. I thought about her observation over the next few days, in the context of something we impress upon students in our Level 1 Certification Class in Medicinal Aromatherapy…that the essences imbue us with light, as they, themselves, are filled with light. With darkness arriving earlier and earlier these days, I am also sensitive to those who find themselves depressed and/or confused, due to the dearth of light during the winter…those affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. I often suggest that they try using Bergamot, a beautiful, light-filled essence, to reduce or eliminate those symptoms, and I have received excellent feedback on Her effectiveness.

The concept of light is a powerful one in our culture, especially for those who pursue a spiritual path. Light & Dark…Good & Evil. The “light bulb turned on”…creativity, new ideas. Light Workers. Enlightenment. The light within. Light as “Truth” — As St. Thomas Aquinas observed, “Intellectual light is nothing else than a manifestation of truth”. I could go on and on, but I am sure you get the point.

So, how do these precious representatives of the Plant Kingdom, the essential oils, bring light to us? While most teaching of photosynthesis would bore us to tears, the transformation of light into glucose (sugar), and then ATP, the “fuel” for all living things, by the Plant Kingdom, is nothing short of alchemical magic. We also acknowledge the significance of all of the light taken in by the plants…not just sun light, but the light from the moon, the stars — the cosmos. So, Plants have a special role to play as they are the light messengers of our planet…and we experience the light not as just physical/corporeal food or fuel, but also as spiritual food or fuel.

While the citrus oils…such as Mexican Lime and Bergamot…are some of the most “light-filled” essences available, others, such as Helichrysum (any of the varieties we offer), Mugwort, Melissa, Mimosa, St. John’s Wort and Lemon Verbena are also very powerful in this regard. Because the citruses can be skin-sensitive for many people (with Grapefruit being, typically, the least skin-sensitive and Lemon being one of the more skin-sensitive), I would suggest applying them, neat, to the soles of the feet, to access their light-giving properties. Helichrysum and Melissa are amazing over the heart and/or crown chakra. Mimosa brings light to a heavy heart…a few drops over your heart in the morning or before bed will begin the process of bringing joy to your heart again. St. John’s Wort is also very effective over the heart or on the solar plexus. Lemon Verbena might be another best applied on the feet, due to the citrusy chemotypes that contribute to her characteristic lemony aroma, but you can definitely do a test patch on yourself, to determine what works for you.

So…how might you benefit from more light in your life? Are you experiencing emotional heaviness or darkness? Lack of inspiration or creativity? Seasonal depression or confusion brought on by reduced daylight? Spiritual struggling or lack of clarity regarding purpose or direction? Difficulty manifesting your desires? All of these situations will benefit greatly by applying essential oils with intention. And, if you find that such issues have been a pattern with you, or are difficult to transform, try some of the essences I’ve listed above that are especially powerful Light Bringers. Use them with intention, positivity and consistency, and I know you will see nothing short of transformation in your life.

Enjoy this beautiful winter season, which offers us a time to go inside, literally and figuratively, and begin creating your vision and plans for a light-filled life!

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Level I – Taught by Audre Gutierrez, co-owner of Wisdom of the Earth. Tuition $450 early registration (30 days prior to class) & $475 regular registration